Lovat urged to keep their focus
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ORION Premiership pacesetters Lovat have been warned to stay focused ahead of their clash with Kinlochshiel at Balgate tomorrow.
A perfect league record from their opening four matches sees them lead the table by two points from reigning champions Newtonmore, who have played a match less.
And a week ahead of their first clash with the champions international defender Calum Cruden has urged his team mates to put all thoughts of that match out of their heads and to concentrate on the clash with the West Coasters.
"It really is one game at a time and lets see where that takes us" he said. "Kinlochshiel are a strong side and our record against them at home is not great.
"We must not fall into the trap of looking too far ahead as the Newtonmore game will take care of itself. We must concentrate 100 per cent on tomorrow’s match."
Lovat hope to be at full strength for the clash with ‘Shiel, who celebrated their first win of the new campaign with a 4-0 home victory over Inveraray last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Glenurquhart ready themselves for the visit of Newtonmore with neither side firing on all cylinders.
The Glen scraped through against Skye in the MacTavish Cup last weekend, but it proved a costly victory with forward James MacPherson succumbing to a troublesome hamstring injury and likely to miss out tomorrow.
With Andy Corrigan out and Ally MacKintosh playing himself back to full fitness after a knee problem, Glen managers Billy MacLean and Dave Menzies are well short of being able to field their strongest line-up, but ‘More are also missing some big names with Danny MacRae and Rory Kennedy struggling for fitness.
Glenurquhart have a decent record against the Badenoch side and a share of the points could be on the cards.
Elsewhere, Inveraray and Lochaber clash in a basement battle at the Winterton.
In the Marine Harvest National Division, Beauly, fresh from their MacTavish Cup triumph at Spean Bridge, are up against another Lochaber side with the visit of Fort William to Braeview.
Beauly skipper Conor Cormack is suspended and will be a big loss. Fort William will hope to add Gary Innes to the side that lost 2-1 to Kingussie last time out.
Caberfeidh face Mid Argyll in Glasgow looking for their first points of the new season and elsewhere league leaders Oban Camanachd face Kilmallie, while Bute entertain Glenorchy.
It is also the first round of the Sutherland and Balliemore Cups, the national junior and intermediate competitions, with Inverness facing a double trip to Argyll-shire.
Their senior side are in Lochgilphead to face Kilmory in the Balliemore Cup, while their reserve side face their Glenorchy equivalents in Dalmally, something of an expensive and logistical nightmare for the Highland capital side.
HOSTS Glen Urquhart High School won the 17th Robertson Cup Shinty Sixes at Blairbeg Park, Drumnadrochit on Tuesday.
A total of 10 teams from across the Highlands took part in the under-14 six-a-side tournament, including teams from Kinlochbervie and Kinlochleven.
Portree, Glen Urquhart A, Charleston and Lochaber all won through the group stages.
In the semi-finals, Glen A defeated Charleston 2-0 and Lochaber eliminated Portree in a sudden death penalty shootout after the teams were locked at 2-2 following extra-time.
In an exciting final, Glen Urquhart High School beat Lochaber High School 1-0 with the goal for the hosts coming in the second minute of golden goal extra-time through Edward Noble.
Portree High School claimed third spot after defeating Charleston Academy 2-0 in the third/fourth place play-off.
There was further joy for Glen Urquhart High School when goalkeeper Finlay Ralston was awarded player of the tournament.
"It is encouraging to see so many schools from across the north of Scotland come together to take part in this event," said event organiser Allan MacLeod, of Inverness Shinty Club.
